Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1887-11-16
A WOMAN'S PLUCK.
And What She Did to Save Her
Brother. ~.

And What She Did to Save Her
Brother. NJ. =
In the year 1901 commanded the side
wheel steamer Channel Fairy as taut q
craft as ever crossed the rough waves Of
the English channel. She was pretty and
swift steamer with cabin accommodations
for two hundred passengers, though dur
ing the year speak of, owing to the war
then raging. between France and Germany,
travel between England and the Continent
was very light, so much so that quite often
we had no passengers at all. Still, we
Were under contract with the British and
French Governments to carry the mails,
and the Fairy sailed every night from
either New Haven or Dieppe-passenger
or no passengers. There were two boats
in the service, so that I laid over every
other day in Dieppe, our starting time being
nine p. m. from Dieppe and 1880 p. m. from
New Haven.
One night in August when the mail train
drew up on the New Haven pier alongside
the boat, two passengers allghted from a
first-class coach and came aboard One was
strikingly handsome gentleman, whom
took for a Frenchman at the first glance
my estimate proving to be correct, for he
addressed me frequently during the trip
across in the purest of Partisan French,
the other was lady, beautiful and quite
young. What her nationality was could
not at first determine to my satisfaction;
she was not English, Of that was sure.
Had it not been for the fact that Germans,
even ladies, were hardly likely to meet with
a pleasant reception at q French port, I
should have put her down as fair Saxon
for she hardly looked like French woman.
She quietly proceeded to her cabin, and in
the hustle Of starting the steamer forgot
all about her.
In fair weather our trip only occupied
about five hours, yet passengers as rule
retired for sleep. was somewhat surprised
then, when we were about one hour out, to
notice our fair passenger walking the deck
of the steamer. ! was on the bridge with
the second officer, and could watch the lady
to good advantage.
She appeared to be making a tour of in
spection round the boat, very much as 1
would myself each dav. She stood for
long time over the engines, examined the
compass on the deck and infinitely in
spected every rope and spar she could
reach. 1supposed she was, perhaps, a lady
making her first trip by water, merely
prompted by woman's curiosity to learn
all she could about her new surroundings.
Presently I left the bridge in charge Of
the officer Of the watch, and descending to
the deck lit cigar and sat on camp stool.
Imagine my surprise when madam also
reached for camp stool and sat herself
down beside me.
"Good evening, Captain said the lady
in good English. sit is so fine night that
I could not think of retiring I have been
looking about your steamer; am so great
~ interested in vessels of all kinds, there
seems so much to amuse and instruct one"
When so pretty and pleasant lady I'M
dertook to engage in conversation with an
old sailor like myself, what could I do but
listen attentlvelys
For more than an hour we sat together
during which time she showed by her re-
marks wonderful knowledge of naviga
ton, and there was very little i could teach
her in regard to handling steamer. She
did ask me several questions about the
" Fairy" however, and volunteered the in
formation that she had spent long time
cruising in steam yacht, and she had con-
ceived strong fancy to study navigation.
At last my duties called me away and
saw no more of the lady until we were ap-
preaching the harbor of Dieppe.
In those troublous times all passengers
and mails were subjected to very close
scrutiny by the French officials before they
were permitted to land. So it would not
have surprised me very mach to see my
lady passenger put through an annoying
examination. But it did excite my curiosity
somewhat whe, saw the elegant French
gentleman hurry from the boat and engage
In conversation with an officer of Gendarmes
well with Cnstnms Qfficia1
When the lady proceeded to disembark
these representatives Of French Law ap-
preached her and questioned her rigidly.
She appeared to answer all their questions
quickly and briefly, but when she produced
her passport they would not accept it.
She protested that she was British sub
ject and that her passport was signed by
the proper officials at the Foreign Office in
London. Usually knew that to be all that
was required. Messieurs, however, insist